Armed with only a wacom tablet, less-than-mediocre drawing skills and an acute sense of smell, professional photographer Ted Sabarese guesses how individual images were lit by other photographers and then sketches corresponding lighting diagrams. He also offers, sometimes humorous, behind-the-scenes insight. It's what you always wanted to know but didn't know who to ask.

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This striking and filmic still is from David’s book Room with a View (inspired from the eponymous Conde Nast Traveler column). It was taken in the NY Standard Hotel, 12th floor, and created with 2 lights.

Lighting: The key light is a white beauty dish with grid at f8 1/2 positioned high and out of frame to camera left (up against the window). Another white beauty dish with grid at f4 is placed high and out of frame to camera right (also up against the window and aimed almost straight down). The background is a separate plate shot without strobes at 1/2 second, f8 then composited together in photoshop.

Comments: The model received special “hazard” pay because this was shot while the Standard was still under construction. The glass window panes had not been installed yet. The casting specs for this project read, “blond, around 30, not afraid of heights. And preferably without suicidal tendencies.”